Books are my passion and I read a lot of them. On this blog you can read more about all the lovely books that enter my life. Have a book you think I woul enjoy? Please check my review policy.
I do not accept awards since I don't like to highlight just a few bloggers, when there are some many great ones out there.

Pages

Sunday, August 22, 2010

I am so happy to welcome Kate Pearce to my blog. Give her a warm welcome.

Kate is the author of several novels in the romance genre. She was born in England, and has an honors degree in history from the University College of Wales.

After her graduation, she started working in finance but dreamed of being a writer. She fullfilled her dream when she moved to the United States in 2000, and has written under several pseudonyms.

Recently Kate released "Kiss of the Rose". A seductive and thrilling tale about a female vampire slayer set in the Tudortime:

"Desperate to defeat King Richard III and gain the crown, Henry Tudor made a pact with the Druids binding him and his heirs to the Druids' struggle against vampires. Ever since, the Llewellyns, a vampire- slaying family, have been in the king's employ. Now Henry VIII reigns, and his father's bargain has been almost forgotten-until bloodless corpses turn up in the king's bedchamber. To save the king, Vampire hunter Rosalind Llewellyn must form an uneasy alliance with Druid slayer Sir Christopher Ellis. But soon, Rosalind must face an unthinkable truth: that her sworn enemy may be her soulmate..."

Here is Kate's own thoughts about the novel, her writing and her inspirations:

Welcome to my blog, Kate. “Kiss of the Rose” is the first book in a new series that takes places in the court of King Henry VIII. Can you tell us a little about this book?

This book deals with the time period around the breakdown of the marriage between Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. There is a rogue Vampire afoot who is threatening to kill the king. Rosalind Llewellyn is from a Druid family sworn to protect the Tudors against Vampires, so she arrives at court ready to do her duty and finds the Vampires have brought in a known-Druid killer, Christopher Ellis. To their horror, Rosalind and Christopher have to work together to kill a deadly assassin and find a deep compatibility that leads to all sorts of trouble.

Where did you get the idea to write “Kiss of the Rose”?

Well, the idea of Tudor Vampires was suggested to me, and I kind of took it from there, using my accumulated college knowledge of Tudor politics, archaeology and myths. It was fascinating to try and blend the supernatural elements in with real events.

How long have you been working on this series prior to the release of “Kiss of the Rose” and how many books can we expect in this series?

This all happened very quickly, about a year from concept, to the publication of the first book, (which is fast by NY publishing standards). I’m already committed to writing three books in the series. The second, “Blood of the Rose” comes out in February 2011 and centers around Anne Boleyn. Rosalind and Christopher will be the main characters in the first two books. The third will be about Jane Seymour and I’m currently writing it.

You have written many books before, how many has it been, in total? And do you have any favorites among them?

I think Kiss of the Rose is my fourteenth published book-but I’m not sure. I love all my books because I learned something from writing every single one. But the first books in a series are usually very special because they are so new and exciting to write. I’m still very proud of Simply Sexual for Kensington Aphrodisia and of course, Kiss of the Rose. I’m lucky to get the opportunity to write different heat levels and time periods which helps keep my writing fresh.

How is a normal writing day for you, and when and where do you write?

I have 4 kids still at home and even though two of them are fairly independent, I’m still constantly monitoring activity, driving the other two to school, and generally trying to be a good mother. I write when the house is quiet during school hours which usually means between about 10 and 2. I also have to fit in the editing, proof reading and promo stuff as well.

What do you do if you need any inspiration during the writing process?

I like to read other types of fiction. I find that very inspiring and I like to get out of the house and walk and breathe.

Is there any real myths concerning the Tudor Dynasty and vampires, or is the lore you use in this series all made up?

Great question. One of the most surprising things about the Tudors is that they came to power in the first place. That was a great starting place to add a bit of magic to the surprise defeat of King Richard III by Henry VII. And another interesting fact was that even during her life, Anne Boleyn was accused of being a witch. I tried to research as much as I could about the Druids, the Tudors, and the Mithras Cult, which are obviously all documented and then I added a little paranormal twist to what we really knew.

Vampires are everywhere these days, it seems. What makes the Tudor Vampire Chronicles different from other series about vampires?

Well, my Vampires spring from an ancient and deadly division amongst the Druids, so I was able to create a conflict from that rather than focusing on what everyone else had done. I thought it was important to make them my own.

What do you associate with Norway? Ever been here?

Hmm... Norway, Fishing, Winter Olympics, Eurovision song contest, long winter nights, Vikings. From that list you' ll probably guess that I've never been there, but that I am originally from the UK.

Kiss of the Rose is a steaming romance novel with a great twist. I will be back with a review shortly. And you could get the opportunity to read the book as well. Kate Pearce will send one copy of her book to one happy reader. All you have to do is follow these instructions:

1. Fill out the form below. You do not have to give me your real name and address now, but we will need it to send you the book should you win.You do not have to be a follower to enter.

2. Answer Kate's question by leaving your comment: What was the first romance novel you read?

3. The contest is international. One winner will be chosen by Random.org. The contest will close at August 27th. The winner will be announced at August 30th.

THe very first romance novel I read was Born in Fire by Nora Roberts. My best friend brought it to high school and I thought it was a book about witches (there were very mysterious orange-red flames on the cover), so imagine my surprise when I read some steamy scenes :-D lol

To this day it remains a favourite re-read :-)

Thank you for this great giveaway, especially for making it international!! I've had Kiss of the Rose on my wishlist for weeks now, would love to win and read it! :-D

Thank you for all your answers. My first romance novel was the first book in the series "The Legend of the Ice People". I remember reading it under the covers, because I was afraid my mom would see that i was reading and that would have been embarassing ;)

The first romance novel I read was a Harlequin called Snowbound Weekend. I was 13 and my bestie was 12 and i can't remember where we got it but i DO remember hiding out in the backyard reading it, so no once would catch us (it had "good parts," lol)I ended up moving away and my bestie and I lost contact with each other for around 15 years until the magic of Facebook. That first Christmas after talking again, we sent each other gift boxes and we had BOTH tracked down that book and sent it to each other =)Still have it =)